US policy set out in London

I attended the lecture by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, yesterday at Lancaster House. Arranged by the Centre for Policy Studies, it was a good event reminding us of the closeness of the Atlantic alliance as seen by a senior member of the current Administration.

The Secretary of State repeated the US offer of an early free trade agreement just as soon as the UK is an independent country again able to negotiate and sign one. He stressed the important contribution the UK makes to the 5 country intelligence grouping that underpins our security and US security. He praised the UK for its support in promoting democracy and better government worldwide, and for the substantial humanitarian aid supplied to trouble spots.

He called for us to support the US view that Germany is undermining western security by undertaking the second gas pipeline from Russia, making the EU far too dependent on Russian energy. He thought the UK could do more to ensure its own energy self sufficiency as the USA has now done through its shale gas revolution. He reminded us of the tough diplomatic response the US made to the Salisbury poisonings. He also warned the UK of the dangers of using a Chinese company which also acts for the Chinese state in 5G networks, suggesting that it will limit US ability and willingness to share with us if they feel the Chinese have access to secret data and messages between allies.

His visit was a preparatory visit for the President’s on the occasion of the NATO Summit. He told us how the new US Ambassador who arrived in London in 1941 at the nadir of our fortunes in that war opted to live in a modest flat and to live under the rule of the UK ration book to share the dangers and deprivations faced by Londoners fighting for our freedoms. It was a moving address from an important ally. It was also good to hear from a country that has the full range of powers for self government, and a country willing to use them for what it sees as its national good and for the wider causes of freedom and democracy worldwide.

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The traitors in your party are growing. Not just May, Letwin, Ken Clarke, Rudd, Guake, Greg Clark, Gove etc who all want to side with Marxist Labour to remain in the EU rather than win around Tory MPs and its party. Read the article about “Traitor Brokenshire”, in Conservative Woman today and you realise how rotten your party has become. Brokenshire betrayed and sacked Sir Roger without any evidence nor any due process whatsoever, he went along with a left wing set up. Williamson was also betrayed and sacked without evidence or due process or an independent inquiry. How could Sedwill be independent when he is in charge of civil service, security and all the other titles May has given him?

Haewie should have been scrutinized in parliamnet it was put in the security council to hide what was going on. Hence govt now claiming it was not an offence against the official secrecy act.

The biggest betrayal is of democracy and failing to act on the will of the people, as Letwin told parliament. He then did exactly that. But now it appears ministers feel they can mirror May’s disgraceful conduct at will without regard to your party, supporters, councillors, public or the office they hold. This is important when it comes to the US. Trump is the first President in a long time is who truly an ally of our country and would willingly help it. May has thrown that straight back in his face, as did Parliament through idiot Bercow.

As for Russia, who did May and female ministers have dinner with two weeks ago? A confident of Putin. So much for the fake outrage over Skripels. Who has May made king of Brexit, Corbyn! No progress whatsoever since in SIX months since November on Brexit lots of fake actions never completed. We should have left on 29/03/2019. Fake Tories, fake promises. Possibly the most dishonest party in history.

Liam Fox agrees with Traitor May offering “temporary” customs union until 2022! That means he agrees not to have had a proper job or role in government for the whole of this parliament! He likes the trimmings of office but no the the work. If he he trusts her what a dim wit he is. What do you think the US will make of that! Six years after votingto leave a rule taker on trade and no influence from trade either!

Hmm. Could he perhaps have delivered that bit on democracy with tongue-in-cheek and yet a perfectly straight face? He is, after all, a politician. 🙂

Seriously though, he was of course ostensibly talking about Britain’s efforts around the world to promote democratic and fair government, but I have to wonder if he was not also possibly alluding to the dire need to sort out this mess we have at home, without actually saying so in a way that would appear openly critical or confrontational.

Indeed, but May is pro EU and anti US/Trump at every turn as we know. She wants a putrid handcuff Treaty or customs ‘arrangement’ that will prevent any UK/US trade deal perhaps for ever. When will this appalling traitor leave office?

Landlords taxed at over 100% says the Telegraph- indeed and not just landlords the 15% stamp duty when you move and new pension rules produce over 100% taxation too. Hammond presides of the highest and most idiotically and damaging tax system. Also two good articles by A Heath – Without a massive free enterprise campaign, Corbynite chaos looms and by Nick Timothy – Must we hamstring our economy and hand rivals an advantage for no real environmental gain?

Kindly clarify the terms of this free trade agreement the Americans wish to impose, sorry, negotiate. Open up the NHS to American private providers? Free access for chlorine washed chicken and hormonne filled beef (and the consequent destruction of our farming sector)?

I find it difficult to moan about the likes of chlorine washed chicken when our water is chlorinated to protect our health .. whether you like it or not. And the word like is the important issue .. we can buy whatever meat we wish to, it’s our personal choice, in a non socialist world. The NHS being privatised !!! Labour under brown and blair did more to encourage that that any other party.

I don’t think you will be forced to buy any of these products Henry! Mind you, you have probably bought ‘chlorine washed’ lettuce before now. As to private providers for the NHS – what is the problem? American or otherwise, if they can provide a service at the right price why worry?
btw the EU has undermined our farming industry for years. I was a farmer both before and after before we joined. It’s part of the reason I’m one no longer.

There is considerable misinformation put out about US beef and chicken and it is another part of the anti-Brexit scare campaign. Growth hormones can be fed to or implanted in the growing animal, lasting a maximum of 4 months. That hormone is metabolised and eliminated by the digestive system. There are no growth hormones in the meat on sale, so “hormone filled beef” is not a reality. In any event, US products would be labelled and consumers would have a choice.

Chlorine washing of chickens is something that used to be the practice in the UK, but was banned by the EU in 1997, after a foolishly ignorant campaign against chlorine by Greenpeace and other NGO’s. As with many things EU, the EU ban is precautionary rather than evidence based. We drink water daily that is chlorinated, we swim in chlorinated swimming pools, all to control bacterial contamination.

Private providers in the NHS sounds like a good idea to me. Why not ? All the medicines, drugs, and medical equipment is already provided by private providers, some being USA companies, and that part of the NHS seems to work fine. Also chlorine washed chicken is a good idea – we already buy chlorine washed fruit and vegetables so extending it to chicken seems no problem – why would it be ?. I expect with their new populist make-up a future EU/USA trade deal will impose these on UK anyway one way or another.

Chlorine, a red herring. Here in sunny ‘ole’ Wokingham you get knocked out by the chlorine gas that comes from opening the mains water tap. Ofwat says its safe.

The only reason we don’t get chlorine washed chicken in the EU is because the EU overlords do not trust the abattoirs. The feeling is they will get sloppy in the process if they can just wash the contamination away as is done in our drinking water.

Fresh chicken is considered to be contaminated in the EU, which is the reason you a requested NOT to touch it before it is cooked.

EU rules and regulations, designed to level down production is what has damaged UK farming

it really is very extraordinary the way we hear from Continuity Remain types that its absolutely essential we continue the basis of trade with the EU exactly as now, that its great whenever new trade deals are opened up under the auspices of the EU, but its absolutely terrible if we do our own trade deals, in the same way as do all those 165 or so countries which are not in the EU – many of which are very prosperous.

e.g. Australia has a good FTA with the US. I have not heard from friends in Australia of mass deaths from chlorine washed chicken or the seizure of the health services by nefarious profit making US enterprises.

I agree there is strategic value to domestic food production, and acknowledge that an argument can be made that beef production and consumption is not green (grazing land use, emissions, etc.), nonetheless if humankind chooses to continue beef production and consumptions then it is inappropriate to be knee jerk about USA beef production.
(1) It is fast to market (e.g. twice as fast as S.America), hence less inventory, less grazing area …
(2) I could only quickly find 2013 data, but at least then the vast majority of USA beef producers followed the Beef Quality Assurance guidelines.
(3) I think the hormone implants (regulated by law) are placed in the ear and discarded at slaughter. The dosages are typically 1/100 the to 1/1000th of what a bodybuilder may take. Residual estrogen levels in implanted beef are maybe 1.4 times higher than non-implanted cattle. Obviously there are other foods (well known being soy based products) that have much higher concentrations of compounds (e.g. phytoestrogens) that effect serum estrogen levels – there seem to be mixed reports on positives and benefits of this, but it appears the concentration is huge compared with beef.
(4) Oral consumption of hormones is not the most ‘effective’, hence why ranchers use under skin pellets, and the pellet method is making a come back (from the 1930s) for human hormone therapies.
(5) You don’t mention antibiotics, though many people do – I believe they are not the same antibiotics as for humans (at least usually in USA, other countries?)

I think clear labelling would be the way to go whether for GM, chlorine washed or antibiotic+hormones (under BQA guidelines)

This will happen if we are stupid enough to sign a CU with the EU where, as a result of not being a member of the EU, we will have no say in the trade negotiations or have a veto.

In fact the EU will be able to sell our market to the US in return for the US importing EU cars and food tariff and quota free.

Note that we will not have any improved access to the US market in return.

However, even as a member of the EU, trade will become either a Commission competency or decided by QMV and our NHS will be opened up to US private providers in return for tariff and quota free EU cars and food.

Would that chlorine washed chicken be any different to my chlorine washed tongue and digestive track when I imbibe it every single day courtesy of my water supplier?
The water here is often undrinkable due to the addition of chlorine after multiple failures of the infrastructure stressed to breaking point by intense farming methods.
Twenty years ago this was also the case when I Lived in the Cotswolds and only a water filter enabled a drinkable cup of tea.

Chlorine washed chicken is different to rinsing something in water. American chickens are washed in chlorine to kill harmful bugs and bacteria. And they need to be washed because American chickens are reared in less hygienic conditions.

Their birds are not treated as well. They are not cared for to such high standards and, consequently, they have to undergo a chemical treatment after slaughter to remove all those nasties that we do not have here in the first place.

Might chlorine washed chicken be a bit cheaper? Possibly. Would most voters backed birds being treated more inhumanely? I doubt it. Plus British farmers and suppliers would no longer be able to export birds to the EU because we would no longer adhere to EU standards.

Yes – ”free access to…” There will be freedom of choice. You wouldn’t HAVE to eat chicken or beef from the US. You could carry on eating meat from dubious suppliers in eastern Europe where animal welfare isn’t their strongest point or even a priority. I’m sure our own farmers would be glad to step up their own production to feed people who actually prefer ethically sourced animal products.

”Open up the NHS….” – you may be one of those endlessly critical of our NHS – perhaps this could improve it.

I may be wrong on all counts – but there is such a thing as too much naysaying and not enough positivity.

Henry, and salmonella chicken is preferable? How many people question what they eat when travelling in the USA? Let’s not get too emotional! Eating anything moves coming from the EU must be questioned as animal welfare in Europe is abysmal.

It is a shame but understandable that Mr. Pompeo did not brief about Mr. Trump’s imminent trade war against the Evil Empire but I suppose some treats must be delayed.

As for 5G, another poor T. May decision. I for one would rather be spied upon by the Americans than the Chinese as there is less (though still considerable) risk of my intentions being misunderstood due to language.

Absolutely. The bloodshed and sacrifice of all US citizens to protect our freedoms here in the UK should never be forgotten.

How perverse it is that we now have a US President who is more concerned with our nation’s democracy than the incumbent PM, May.

Trump tells it as it is. We need more like him. No use of the liberal left tactic of ‘far right extremism’ to crush debate on important national issues in the manner of this offensive PM.

The British people or the majority of them are sick to the back teeth of being slandered by your leader. Her constant slandering of Brexit voters and Brexit MPs is deeply troubling. Expect legislation in the next few months as the Europhile cabal try to crush debate on issues such as immigration, nationality, race and democracy.

Trump needs to put May in her place. This PM needs warning that her constant attacks on open debate and freedom of expression is bordering on the dangerous.

I do believe that our freedoms will come under attack by the Conservative-Marxist Labour alliance as they ramp up their attack on Brexit.

It is incumbent on all Tory MPs to protect our most cherished freedoms against this most dangerous of PM and her alliance with Marxists.

Trump must apply total pressure on May to change her ways before she does real damage to this nation’s people

In everything you recall, Mike Pompeo is absolutely accurate. I find it unbelievable that a British PM could think or consider otherwise. That she should consider damaging our relationship with the USA over G5 is unforgivable. Rumour has it that she might exacerbate the obscenity of HS2 by buying the trains in China. I thought Bombardier made trains in the UK, apart from which who makes the high speed trains that fly around Europe.

A word of caution re a UK/USA trade agreement. It is desirable but it should not be in conflict with the way we do things here. If for instance it is decided that they can sell us hormonal beef and chlorinated chickens, the product must be clearly marked as such, no small print that cannot be read. Trade should flow in financial balance between both nations. Good quality citrus fruit from the USA and aircraft wings from the UK as a suggestion. Large multinationals must understand that they cannot trade in the UK in competition with the flying pig coffee shop in our high street on anything but equal tax terms.

Instinctively I am happier with a close US relationship than I am with an EU one which I see as abusing our historic attachment to democracy.

We seem to get endless propaganda on a daily basis from the ‘Environment Agency’. Tax the people then spend their money on a propaganda Quango (to feed endless greencrap to these tax payers). Telling them what to ‘think’!

Germany importing gas from Russia ? Don’t they realise there’s a climate emergency on ? Greta Thunberg needs to go and tell the EU to stop this madness immediately, eh Andy ? Glad we’re getting out of an organisation conspiring in the extinction of a million species including our own.

May told Brady to clear off yesterday I see – told him she’d already made him a generous offer by saying she’ll quit at some point in the far distant future – seems like the 1922 Committee are even worse negotiators than her. Incredible.

We always get the feeling, and I really don’t know if it is simply that : a feeling, that the US would allow us to be freer ,more friendly and share free trade.Yet we have these warnings re China and the EU. The EU on the other hand seem always to have the heavy boot on us as demonstrated by Brexit conversations. I have difficulty in understanding the difference between shown appearance and reality.

May has managed to lose support of the party, your party, which she appears well-bent on destroying. She has lost the support of the people. She has done her damnedest to destroy the reputation of the country. Now she has decided to agree an IT deal which will end 5eyes, thus weakening our National security.

Every time she speaks, she is disingenuous or tells outright lies. Her actions are those of someone determined to destroy everything this country and its peoples has ever stood for. I suspect the Americans know this as well.

What an inspiring man!
The lefties who whittle on about climate change and then go flying back to – the USA – pumping out tonnes and tonnes of C02 are wrong. President Trump is just a businessman, not an ogre. He doesn’t fit into the Washington/East Coast liberal mould that’s all.
We sensible people ought to admit this and joyfully embrace our friendship with the USA – a real friend in need. And we ought to be heard too.
John Bercow does not represent the entire country. Neither does the Mayor of London.

It’s a shame we have a US government which is friendly but a civil service and PM acting as its mouthpiece which rejects the offer and works for the EU. The Yanks are acting in their own interest though in trying to stop the Germans buying cheaper Russian gas and to buy their shale gas instead. The Russians need the money and are unlikely to turn off the supply and if they have a measure of control over the EU superstate, so much the better. We have no defence without the US as a close ally anyway. An enemy with drones, submarines and missiles could cut our energy supplies and communications in a day.
A free trade deal with the US would be much better than one with the EU. They would be more likely to buy Jags and other British high quality goods and US wine and clean food would be better than the rubbish made by the French and Dutch.

A forceful promotion of American exports (arms, LNG, foodstuffs) and the security argument against cheaper alternatives. Nevertheless, Mr Pompeo is a credible politician. More so than his boss. Coices, choices.

The US is doing very well in certain areas. But wage growth lgs behind Germany’s. Health care, defense, property and casualty insurance are extremely expensive. I’ve lived in the US and worked there for quite a long time (in very comfortable circumstances) but I am not so sure I would rather like to live there than in Germany on the average wage, purely economically speaking. Of course I am not mentioning the very high level of gun ownership, lack of servoces in many parts of the country and highly biased media (both sides) that have little to do withb the economy as such.

But, my remark was not about how well or poorly the the US is doing but that Mr Pompeo and his mates push US products and servives under the guise of “security” or posibly threaten relatiation is we do not buy expensive LNG, US pharmaceuticals for US prices, open our markets for inferior agricultural products etc. These are important constituencies for US politicians and the play for keeps. Not for charity.

A much better question is why Canada remains such a wonderful country to live in, (few guns, excellent public services, affordable pharma) despite its very high degree of integration with the US economy. Why nof afford Americans the standard of living of Canadians?

Mike Pompeo, the buffoon who considers global warming melting the ice caps to be good for opening up new trade routes.
Still he appears to be not quite as deluded as one of the pseudo-scientist Piers Corbyn, who claims polar ice caps are not reducing.

Strange that you should call Piers Corbyn, who is an astro-physicist, a pseudo-scientist, yet no doubt you would applaud his brother for consulting with the anti-capitalism group “extinction rebellion” on how to decimate our economy by stopping fossil fuel use.

The claim about “global warming melting the ice caps” has a long history and so far the ice caps have refused to co-operate. The Arctic should have been ice free in Summer 2002 according to “top scientists”, then 2008, and again in 2012 and 2015.

The satellite record used starts in 1979, prior to that there was a serious cooling period and ice extent was considerable. One of the main reasons for the Cod wars with Iceland was the migration of Cod stocks further south towards the UK, because of low sea temperatures. The Icelanders extended their fishing limits in pursuit of the migrating fish.

Conversely, in the early part of last century, it is well documented that there was considerably less ice in the Arctic than there is now, and again there were scary stories about a melting Arctic. In 1906, Roald Amundsen negotiated the NW passage in a wooden hulled sailing ship.

Antarctica? Current temperature at the S. Pole is minus 52 degC. The West Antarctic Peninsula, the bit that’s melting, minus 18 deg C.

Any melting of the Antarctic ice cap will not open up new trade routes, unless Mr Attenborough discovers polar camels. The embarrassing story about the Ship of Fools getting trapped in ice that wasn’t supposed to be there and requiring a global effort to enact a rescue has already been buried by the warmunists. Attempts by various eco- warriors to find a passage through the Arctic has met with a resounding failure. There is scientific data indicating that ice mass in the Arctic is increasing even though the area is variable due to winds and currents, which is what Doctor Corbyn was referring to. Any melting in the Antarctic is mainly due to volcanoes ,along continental plate fault lines. Gaia is getting along very well, and the deindustrialisation of the West coupled with redistribution of resources to the deserving poor under a world government will not affect her survival one iota.

Richard, Do you honestly believe that we can solve climate change? Something that has been happening since time began? What nonsense. All we are doing is making manufacturing and the price of energy rise so much that more people will die of the cold rather than climate change. If the ice caps do melt then taking advantage of it makes sense. Nothing we do will change it.

I hope Theresa May has taken full note of the address and taken the time to understand it in detail. If she hasn’t or doesn’t, she may well regret hanging on as PM long enough to be in office for the Trump visit. He will not hold back in telling her and the whole world what a complete mess she has made of both Brexit and putting our security and US alliance in danger.

She needs to dump the WA and ensure that the Chinese have absolutely no involvement in our 5G network. Will she? I doubt it, and she will dig the hole that she, and the country is in because of her appalling Brexit negotiations, even deeper.

Interesting. Despite all the opprobrium (sometimes justifiably) heaped on President Trump in the UK and other EU countries, he is right on some issues: China’s abuse of the world trading system and IP theft; Iran’s malevolent role in so much of Middle East terrorism, for example the arming and financing of Hamas and Hizbollah terrorists; the folly of Germany making herself and Europe more dependent on Russian gas; the wisdom of exploiting shale gas, whether in the US or the UK – cheap and abundant energy with lower CO2 emissions, who can reasonably be against it? Probably the `Huawei issue also.

We should certainly try to get a rapid trade deal done with the US. I doubt very much that once it’s on the table and it’s benefits for the US are clear, latent sympathy for Irish nationalism will be enough to kill it, as implied by Nancy Pelosi. Besides it is now abundantly clear no one is going to put up a hard border in Northern Ireland .

Anyway..what’s the point of all these talks etc?
MM only listens to the EU. ( Trump was happy to teach her how to negotiate).
And as far as I can see she will be in situ FOREVER!…and ever…and……
Don’t think impeachment has ever worked in UK but these are desperate times?

Oh! Did we actually win our freedom then? What WERE we fighting, dying for?? To defeat Germany?
I often have to pinch myself.
To think that in this once free, democratic ( what is democracy?I ask) country where we had plenty of warnings from the likes of Orwell (taught in schools even)…
I must look at my every word,nuance,preference for fear of state retribution.
It is being cheered on by people who do not believe it will affect them!
It will!!

Some easy targets for praise and criticism. Russian gas pipeline. Huawei devices in 5G network. Humanitarian Aid. I don’t see much in the way of clear thinking on our relationship, intentional so Trump can speak his mind and not be leaked in advance? So the US joined in over Salisbury telling Putin ‘ You are a naughty boy!’. Impressive stuff.

Mrs May gives the impression that she would rather side with the EU than our closest ally. She is a threat to our democracy and our security as well as your party but Conservative MPs stand by impotent in the face of such treats.

Powerful points made be Mike Pompeo on Germany gas pipeline, trade and Huawei.

Slightly off topic but relevant to today’s news that Jonny Mercer is, rightly in my opinion, withholding support for the Govt. over the hounding of ex servicemen. However he is supporting Mrs May’s WA and as an ex army man he must know that it will hand over much control of our armed forces and security to the EU. His logic defies the imagination.

Look how the US economy expanded during WWII-and why.Look at the post-war slump and the Marshall Plan which needed a reds-under-the-bed scare to get through Congress- and on to the Cold War-it wasn’t the Soviets who started that;they were more interested in consolidating their gains and rebuilding their country after the war devastation in European Russia,Ukraine and Belarus.

Anyone would think we were walking away from a successful and prosperous EU!!!

In truth, the EU are nothing but an overly powerful, costly, incompetent and unnecessary Middleman, that does absolutely nothing that European nations couldn’t do for themselves. What exactly is their purpose?

The mighty Margaret Thatcher was felled with one ‘powerful’ speech – felled for the EU. Yet Zombie remainer Theresa May is kept in office by the pro federast deep state, ye olde people of this country slandered to make way for the EU. The Tories sacrificed and the country beggared (buggered ?) for the EU.

Having caved in to the green blob, there is no way we can reduce our energy imports from bastions of democracy like Qatar. I know I worked there for 20years.
Almost every decision made by this government has been against the common good of the people and to lecture on democracy whilst we have May and Hammond in charge is laughable. I see she is going to ram the WA through for a 4th time.
What an idiot she is.

Interesting comments about shale from Mr Pompeo. My more left wing friends think shale extraction is too dangerous. They forget that we had mild tremors when we were extracting coal, but that was when the Left favoured low cost energy for the least well off people. They also seem unaware that an extraction site only takes up the area of a cricket square, creates jobs, and that a flourishing shale industry could reduce energy costs substantially. It’s such a shame that the current regulations, and the Chancellor’s announcement that future new houses will have no mains gas, seem designed to strangle this nascent industry at birth. Another example of the Tory party losing its direction.

Interesting that the ‘earthquake’ that stirred Crawley the other day measured 3.5 on the Richter scale. Shale gas exploration and extraction must be temporarily halted by a tremor of 0.5 on the same scale. Each unit of the scale represents a tenfold increase in intensity and a 32 fold increase in energy. So this latest tremor was about 1000 times greater on the Richter scale than the shale gas limit and still did no damage.

leftists do not oppose shale on the basis of facts. most do not understand the Richter scale is logarithmic, and the sort of tremors seen from mining are regularly hundreds of times greater than the regulation max from shale.

Mr Corbyn is now as I write being shown LIVE on TV . A sign just in front of him ” Rebuilding Britain”
He has a prospect of becoming PM thanks to the Brexit Betrayal.
We should not be so adult embarrassed as not to openly cry.

Given that MPs of all parties over half a century have not grappled with the 100%( one hundred per cent ) honesty and integrity of Local Authorities and far be in for me to suggest they are looking after their seats as determined by political activists within those self-same Authorities, could they not by some moral smear given to them at birth, make sure that Universities and Techs who train not just Housing engineers but what used to be called B-Tech persons and all kinds of LA and Arms length models, that an Independent Monitor should be appointed to investigate the precision and pointed questions on examination papers to see that the 100% pass rate for Housing would-be staff are as pointed as they should be. In that such an Independent Monitor exists, sack him. Find people who will do the job!
Higher Education establishments have a financial vested interest in supplying LAs with what they ask for. They ask for too little for the Good. Universities could also be monitored with greater energy too. In fact some energy as it is laying about doing nothing in practice.
British Universities and Higher Education are world beaters. Does not say much for the rest of the world.

Sir JR – you write – “We are not being asked to vote on anything at the moment”. I get that – but what IS Parliament doing?
I heard that a bill had been passed regarding 2 animals in a circus; was that a joke or is that really what’s happened & really ALL that’s happened.? Does this imply that Parliament is moribund – and doesn’t this present a danger that the Mad Woman will present her famous (well actually Brussels & Berlin’s famous) Surrender Treaty and MPs will sign it out of sheer boredom or just eager to go on their summer hols (from May 22…)

so the NHS is to give free bikes to fat people, doesnt that rather put the wrong incentives in the system (ie fancy a new bike why pay for it just put on a little weight) and given many CCG’s are refusing to fund continuous blood sugar monitoring for people who seriously need it (despite NHS England giving them a 3 line whip to stop the postcode lottery, and Mrs May getting this when her case is clearly far from the most serious being withheld these prescriptions) doesnt it look like the NHS is a joke? where is the political control of these clowns?

Great- so now we’ll end up in the US pocket instead of the EU- we’ll have rubber chicken for dinner instead of straight bananas- I thought that we wanted to be independent of all of this and go to WTO rules to make our own laws to suit ourselves- make our own way- support Yemen, Iran or whomever else we wished without the nod from the great USA- some independence alright? and belated promises now coming from the Trump/Pompeo/ John Bolton campers- wreckers all, who are only likely to be there in any real sense for a few months more anyway- to just before the next US presidential round gets underway- and this is what we are putting our hopes on?

9 October 2018 – Jillian Ambrose, The Telegraph
‘Fracking laws on earthquakes could be relaxed to encourage more drilling, the energy minister [Claire Perry, one of whose responsibilities is energy security] has suggested .. Frackers have to down tools following any event above 0.5 magnitude on the Richter scale ..’
[A typical natural UK ‘earthquake’ may measure 3.9]

4 February 2019 – Jillian Ambrose, The Telegraph
‘The chemicals giant owned by Britain’s richest man, Jim Ratcliffe, has called on Government to rip up the shale industry’s “unworkable” regulations or face an “energy crisis”.
In a blistering attack on the Government’s energy policy Ineos accused ministers of using “slippery back door manoeuvres to end shale” including “absurd” earthquake limits imposed on shale gas developers.
It also warned Government that it was “betting the future of our manufacturing industry on windmills and imported gas”, which could cause “irreparable damage” to the UK’s manufacturing base.’

And at the end of April Natascha Engel, the government’s fracking ‘tsar’ resigned, driven by dismay that ministers are jeopardising Britain’s energy security because they would rather appease noisy green campaigners.

Ideally Alex Chisholm, the permanent secretary at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, should be questioned by the relevant Parliamentary Committee, about its energy policy. He’s an Oxford graduate, with a degree in history, but then Rachel Reeves, chair of the committee is another Oxford graduate, with a PPE. Looking at interests of the committee none of them seem particularly interested in energy. It would be better to have someone with some experience, like Graham Stringer, to question Chisholm.

The UK promotes democracy? I see. While totalitarian governments suppress votes,
ours simply takes a democratic decision not to implement them (as Sir Humphrey
might have said). Given the alienation of our sovereignty that has occurred by
means of international treaties, it is unfortunate that American diplomacy continues
yet to flatter this country’s reputation.

More than 70 people died in Grenfell. 18 of them were children. Some were toddlers – just a few years old. Some of these children were burnt to death. Some died from smoke inhalation. Children dead because of cladding.

Fixing it to stop it happening again will cost about £200m. This equates to a bill of about £3 per person in the country. Obviously the tax burden does not fall evenly – some of us pay much more than most of you. But the amount overall for any of us is pretty small.

I think £3 is a reasonable amount to make sure children do not burn to death in the UK in 2019. Maybe you would prefer to spend your £3 on a pint. Enjoy it. Those dead children won’t ever get the chance of enjoying one.

Thank you for reporting on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s London lecture. What a breath of fresh air that must have been for you Sir John! I only hope it wasn’t lost on the rest of your colleagues. The contrast to the sickening state of affairs we now seem to have here in the UK is indeed compelling.

Thank you for reporting on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s London lecture. What a breath of fresh air that must have been for you Sir John! I only hope it wasn’t lost on the rest of your colleagues. The contrast to the sickening state of affairs we now have here in the UK is indeed compelling, and must have left you with a sense of longing.

Our involvement, even if unintentional, in the creation of the USA is arguably Britain’s greatest national achievement. Our concepts of law and democracy were adopted and improved to create the fairest form of government. Without it the vast majority of the world would be a fearful place to live. Their baling us out in 1917 and particularly in 1941 almost certainly prevented all of Europe being ruled either by fascist or communist regimes for possibly centuries with no answer to modern weaponry.

We should be fully supporting the alliance, in current matters they have the right approach. Unfortunately there are too many deluded and grossly influential people who have adopted the propaganda approach to issues that do not stand up to academic and non partisan scrutiny.

The undemocratic EU is a force for world instability, the premise that it has prevented conflict and is good for peace is a canard. Without the USA and their nuclear umbrella we would all be speaking Russian.

What would be the difference between being a “vassal state” of the USA and being one of the EU; please advise? You would end up wishing you had signed Mrs May’s Withdrawal Agreement!

The US is not only the self appointed, heavily armed enforcer of democracy, it is also the most protectionist country on the planet, by far. More Russian gas coming into the EU by pipe, will seriously reduce US LNG potential exports to the EU by tanker. The US is expanding its east coast Shale gas liquefaction capacity to 10 Bcf/day; enough to supply the UK for a day.

Likewise, Trump blocked the takeover by Singapore based Broadcom of US based Qualcomm. That would have made China the R&D top dog in the United States 5G equipment designing race, which other Asian countries will make for it anyway, complete with US spyware.

The US spends 70% of total NATO members defence spending of circa $930 billion. That is one large parking charge for its missiles in Europe.

Mrs. May’s desire for the UK to sign an international treaty with the EU where we must accept EU laws, taxes, budget payments, fines and policies without representation or veto and with no lawful exit (according the AG) and her willingness to use the Chinese for our major infrastructure and energy projects such as Hinkley C, HS2 and now 5G demonstrates she is a danger to the security and prosperity of the UK.

The upcoming EU elections are a farce or decoy as we never get to vote who governs the EU Council of Ministers like Junker and successor labelled the Brussels Monster Martin Selmayr who just loves the German drafted and translated Withdrawal Agreement stitch up.

Mrs May has a say on appointments but this could be unwise given her unknown decision making, making it a two-staged disconnect with the voters. Such indirect control lacks true accountability and good governance and ultimately is totally the reverse of the UN principle of a nation’s right to self-determination.

As for May saying she was going to do a Liverpool football comeback is worrying as they voted to remain in EU. The only way she can come back is by really leaving EU no deal or leave No 10 – it’s her choice as always and not ours.

i understand that tonight’s 2nd part of the BBC4 documentary covering 2yrs of Brexit negotiation will contain the reference to UK(NOT Gibraltar) as a COLONY.
Given previews aired to media and broadcasters why has this reference been kept quiet?

My wife has just stuck her phone under my nose – it has an item on there that says something like ‘May says UK Health Services will be part of future trade deal with the US’.

Keep it UP! Between you all you seem determined to hand Labour a massive landslide at the next election. You might even lose your seat Mr. Redwood if May and the rest of you offer up ammunition like that.

It beggars belief. It is as if you have pressed a self-destruct button.

“He stressed the important contribution the UK makes to the 5 country intelligence grouping that underpins our security and US security. He praised the UK for its support in promoting democracy and better government worldwide, and for the substantial humanitarian aid supplied to trouble spots.”

All this after nearly 50 years of EU membership?
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He (Mike Pompeo) then goes on to threaten us with retribution over a possible trade deal with China!

Only a couple of weeks ago the US house speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a similar threat regarding difficulties with the Irish border.

Imagine the howls of outrage if similar diktats had been issued by Brussels!

The widely touted possible contenders to replace May as PM include former and current members of the Cabinet, including Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Amber Rudd, Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab, Jeremy Hunt, Penny Mordaunt and Liz Truss. Rory Stewart has announced he will run and Commons leader Andrea Leadsom might. Today we have Esther McVey throwing her hat in the ring.

Former Chancellor George Osborne has suggested the cabinet should move against the prime minister, so the Conservative Party can change leader and “win over supporters who have disappeared”. Certainly not disappeared, I think he means ex-supporters are going to vote for anybody but Tories. Should frontman Corbyn get elected, his cronies will want to ensure a full term, up to 5 years in office. Electors may well forget what Tories stood for by then. Benefits, nationalisation, reduced armed forces, unionism back in industry and national utilities. Quite a prospect. Scottish Independence?

If any of these ‘contenders’ have voted for Mrs May’s surrender treaty even once, they are suspect. How can they be trusted? Who’s to say they won’t just resurrect it once they are voted in? Why not? It’s all ready to be signed, no more work or negotiation needed, all done and dusted and meets with the EU masters’ approval ……….

The Conservative Party needs one of the honourable ones (such as our host) to take up the reins of PM – one of those who’ve nailed their colours to the mast and been seen to be the only ones standing between us and EU thralldom.

That still won’t save the party now, I think, but at least it can go down with some dignity if it has a dignified leader at the end.

What a shame he didn’t highlight the fact that parliament is not democratic at this particular time. They are only democratic when it suits them. I would rather build an alliance with the US any day. Look how many times we have been shafted by many countries in Europe in the past. They lure away our businesses with EU money, fine us for things others have got away with, send us their polluting cars with false emission values, take our fishing grounds, ruin our orchard industry. All Europe want us for is a convenient cash cow. They can go and hang themselves for all I care.

Please SJR can you comment upon “Election Communication: The Conservative Party ” blue and white A5 four page leaflet “Printed at No Cost to the taxpayer” headed ” How to show you want a Brexit deal delivered asap” that arrived by post today via the Register of Electors?
This is full of distorted Theresa Mays wishes “The only party which can get Brexit done is the Cons” and mentions a deal in small print and smears leavers like Nigel Farage and hints about stopping the EU elections if a deal is done.
The final insult is “Find out if your MP has backed the deal yet which is Not how did your MP vote based on the original referendum in 2016.
Looking at the website it has a button “Tell your MP to back the deal” with no other option for the less gullible.
No wonder May thinks she can ignore all calls for her go.

Reply I am getting a lot complaints about both the leaflet and website from people who do not see the Agreement as leaving

Fracking, GMO and loss of standards seem to await a United Kingdom that will soon be exposed to crude American negotiating tactics. Isn’t this what really underlies Brexit? Throw in a customs union with the EU and the UK will have achieved the worst of all worlds.

John, the SNP are refusing to accept the results of the first referendum. So Scotland should not take part in any second one.

About John Redwood

John Redwood won a free place at Kent College, Canterbury, and graduated from Magdalen College Oxford. He is a Distinguished fellow of All Souls, Oxford. A businessman by background, he has set up an investment management business, was both executive and non executive chairman of a quoted industrial PLC, and chaired a manufacturing company with factories in Birmingham, Chicago, India and China. He is the MP for Wokingham, first elected in 1987.